Overview

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree program is designed for students who have either a baccalaureate nursing degree or a master degree in advance nursing from a college or university accredited by either the Commission on the Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the National League of Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLN-AC).

The primary goal of the DNP program is to prepare experts in specialized advanced nursing practice. Graduates of the program will assume clinically intensive leadership careers, including clinical practice, clinical leadership, applied research, and faculty roles with additional course work in education.

The WSSU DON DNP degree program offers a multiple entry model to facilitate the transition from the MSN-FNP degree to the MSN to DNP degree and to establish a Post BSN to DNP pathway. Because of the different entry points, the curriculum is individualized for students based on their prior education and clinical experiences. The DNP program is design for Post MSN students to achieve the DNP competencies (AACN, 2006) with a clinical focus in their area of specialization. This pathway requires 1.5 years from the MSN program completion (3 semesters and 1 summer). The BSN-DNP student will achieve the DNP competencies with a clinical focus in the FNP area of specialization. This pathway requires 3 years from the completion of the BSN program (6 semesters and 2 summers).

Program Mission

The mission of the DNP program is to develop advanced practitioners of nursing into evidenced-based, inter-disciplinary providers who meet the needs of a rapidly expanding healthcare field. DNP program goals include:

• Prepare a diverse population of advanced nurse clinicians to function as clinical leaders in service and academic settings.